1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples,2saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.3If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'"4They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it,5some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?"6They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.7When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.8Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.9Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, "Hosanna! " "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"10"Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!"

Mark 14:12-16:13

12On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"13So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.14Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'15He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."16The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.17When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve.18While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me--one who is eating with me."19They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, "Surely not I?"20"It is one of the Twelve," he replied, "one who dips bread into the bowl with me.21The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."22While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."23Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it.24"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.25"I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."26When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.27"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: "'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'28But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."29Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not."30"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "today--yes, tonight--before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times."31But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the others said the same.32They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray."33He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.34"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."35Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.36"Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."37Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?38Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."39Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.40When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.41Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.42Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"43Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.44Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard."45Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him.46The men seized Jesus and arrested him.47Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.48"Am I leading a rebellion," said Jesus, "that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?49Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled."50Then everyone deserted him and fled.51A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him,52he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.53They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together.54Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.55The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.56Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.57Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him:58"We heard him say, 'I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.'"59Yet even then their testimony did not agree.60Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?"61But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?"62"I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."63The high priest tore his clothes. "Why do we need any more witnesses?" he asked.64"You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" They all condemned him as worthy of death.65Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, "Prophesy!" And the guards took him and beat him.66While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.67When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. "You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus," she said.68But he denied it. "I don't know or understand what you're talking about," he said, and went out into the entryway.69When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, "This fellow is one of them."70Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean."71He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about."72Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." And he broke down and wept.==Chapter 15==1Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.2"Are you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate. "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.3The chief priests accused him of many things.4So again Pilate asked him, "Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of."5But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.6Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested.7A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising.8The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.9"Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" asked Pilate,10knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him.11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.12"What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?" Pilate asked them.13"Crucify him!" they shouted.14"Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"15Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.16The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers.17They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.18And they began to call out to him, "Hail, king of the Jews!"19Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.20And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.21A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.22They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).23Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.24And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.25It was the third hour when they crucified him.26The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.27They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.28(OMITTED TEXT)29Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,30come down from the cross and save yourself!"31In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself!32Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.33At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"35When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah."36One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.37With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.38The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.39And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"40Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.41In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.42It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached,43Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.44Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.45When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.46So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.==Chapter 16==1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body.2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb3and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.6"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'"8Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.9When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.10She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping.11When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.12Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.13These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

Summary

Plot

Tom visits Whit to talk to him about a student in Tom's Sunday school class - Digger Digwillow. Digger doesn't show any interest in learning about Scripture and thinks the Bible is boring. So Whit decides to work on an invention that may raise Digger's interest. When Digger visits, Whit introduces him to the Imagination Station. Whit explains that it's an invention which, through the imagination, helps people to experience the Bible and history.

Digger doesn't think it will work on him, but he climbs in, pushes the red button, and soars back to first-century Jerusalem. There, Digger lives through the last week of Jesus' earthly life - from the Triumphal Entry to the Last Supper, then to the trial, where he is told by a devastated John Mark that Jesus will be sentenced to death.

Notes

VERSION DIFFERENCE:[view] There are two alternate versions of this episode which run in the broadcast cycle for AIO. One is the original version with Chris reading her Bible and the other has Chris in a clock shop presenting a special "encore" edition of the program. (The latter version is the one now regularly heard on the radio.)

Trivia

The broadcast version of this episode included a "Fun Fact" about using Odyssey for discussion questions.

The Imagination Station marked the premiere of Whit's greatest invention. From the first airings, it quickly became one of the most popular episodes.

The Imagination Station wasn't used for awhile after this because of concerns that some children wouldn't understand that Digger Digwillow was not actually there, and wouldn't understand that it was 'historical fiction' and not history itself.

The name of the character John Mark reflects the theory that it was at the house of John Mark (the one who wrote the gospel of Mark and the one who accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey) that the Last Supper was held. Also note that much of the story comes predominantly from the gospel of Mark.

These episodes were made into an AIO Activity Pack, Roll Away the Stone, Volume #11.

The name "Digger Digwillow" was inspired by the name "Digory" from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew.

Reviews

Quotes

Tom Riley: Every time I come in here you've got something new on display. What's this contraption you're working on now?John Whittaker: Well I'm calling it the Imagination Station.Digger Digwillow: Good grief, it's a Saturday traffic jam in the bible room.Digger Digwillow: Excuse me lady.Man: Mind your manners boy.Digger Digwillow: Sorry mister I thought you were.. Never mind. What kind of place is this? Guys with long hair and robes? I saw something like this in Ben Hur.John Mark: I'm John Mark. Who're you?Digger Digwillow: Digger, Digger Digwillow.John Mark: Digger, Digger Digwilow. A strange name to match your strange clothing.Digger Digwillow: I don't get this. Wait. Your master and his disciples?John Mark: Surely you must know of him. Everyone in the land has heard of him.Digger Digwillow: I-I'm not sure who you're talking about.John Mark: Oh you must know. I'm talking about Jesus the Christ. Our Messiah.Digger Digwillow: Jesus?Digger Digwillow: This is a dream. This has got to be a dream.Judas: I told you the one I kiss is the man. Only then should you arrest him.Official: Are you Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ?Jesus: I am.Digger Digwillow: Oh yeah, the story of Jesus. He taught people and they killed him and stuff.